Tottenham: Win or bust for Spurs in last chance to fulfil Ange Postecoglou trophy boast | OneFootball

Spurs have not grasped their Europa League opportunities in the past - this time it must be different, starting in Alkmaar

Last chance for silverware: Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou previously boasted of always winning a trophy in his second season in charge at a club

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"We obviously started the season feeling pretty good about where we were at, but obviously it hasn't transpired that way," Postecoglou said in Alkmaar. "We've got ourselves in a good position, we're in the round of 16.

"We've got two tough games against AZ and that's the first thing to overcome."

Postecoglou has blamed the club's chronic injury pile-up over the winter for derailing the season but his selection crisis and the schedule have eased in the last few weeks, contributing to a sense that everything is coming together in time for the knockouts.

The loss of Dejan Kulusevski to a niggling foot injury which will keep him out until after this month's international break is a fresh blow but Spurs' injury concerns are mostly behind them, and Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke are all in contention to return to the squad against Alkmaar.

"Significant players coming back for us but also just having the opportunity to train with the whole group has been really valuable," Postecoglou added. "Probably a month back we were really struggling, with no players and no recovery, so from our perspective the past few weeks have really been good for training, recovery and just the level of intensity we can put into preparing for games."

As the head coach acknowledged, everyone at the club now senses an "opportunity" in the Europa League, and they have emerged on what appears to be the kinder side of the draw, with Eintracht Frankfurt or Ajax awaiting if they beat Alkmaar.

The boys really understand there is a great opportunity for us

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou

"The boys really understand there is a great opportunity for us," Postecoglou said. "They’ve appreciated the fact that the guys who have been playing through [the injury crisis] are now able to recover and train and prepare themselves better for games.

"That’s coincided with seeing their team-mates come back and certainly the guys that have been out injured [have] come back with a real hunger and desire to help the team.

"There is a platform there for us to hopefully get back to playing our football and seeing how far we can progress."

There have been opportunities for Spurs in this competition in the past, which they have failed to take.

In their last two seasons in the Europa League, they crashed out to Dinamo Zagreb after squandering a 2-0 first-leg lead at the same stage in 2020-21 and were eliminated by Gent in the round of 32 in '16-17.

In 10 cracks at the competition this century, Spurs have never got beyond the quarter-finals and last won the UEFA Cup, as it was then known, in 1984.

"The club hasn't in recent years done well in this competition, but it's a major European competition, we're in the last 16 and for us there's an opportunity there and we'll see how far we can go in it," added Postecoglou.

In the past Spurs, though, have not generally needed the Europa League as much as they do now.

When they were beaten by Gent, they were still fighting for the title under Mauricio Pochettino, while in '20-21 Jose Mourinho's Spurs were scrapping for a European place when they were humiliated in Zagreb.

This time, it is win or bust for Postecoglou and his players, a reality reflected in the head coach's team selection for last week's league defeat by Manchhester City, when Kulusevski, Heung-min Son and Djed Spence were all left on the bench.

The situation should bring a clarity and focus which has been missing from Spurs' previous European campaigns, but with it comes pressure.

"We want to win the competition of course because we want to be part of a Spurs team that is winning things," said centre-back Kevin Danso, who could be partnered by Romero or Van de Ven for the first time on Thursday.

Injury blow: Tottenham will be without the influential Dejan Kulusevski for both legs against AZ Alkmaar

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"The pressure is normal and you have to deal with that at all big clubs. It’s down to us to bring a good performance and win the game."

Postecoglou, who said he would decide after Wednesday's training if Van de Ven, Solanke or Romero could start the game, is conscious of underestimating AZ, who thrashed Galatasaray 4-1 in the home leg of their recent play-off round tie.

"We’ve got to make sure whatever happens at the end of the game we’ve still got an opportunity to go back to Tottenham and win the tie," he said.

"We understand with the home support, I’ve been here with Celtic in a Europa game so I know the experience of it and they’re a good side, but we’ve got to make sure we play our football and dictate the tempo of the game."